Narendra Modi Leadership Style

You know you have arrived in the big league when the entire nation's eyes are on you. For Narendra Modi, who has never hidden his ambition to be the Prime Minister some day, all of last week must have seemed like a dream come true. Now, the world's eyes are on Modi as well. Time magazine has even gone so far as to say that the upcoming May election is Modi's to lose. For business leaders, Modi's rise has been dizzying as well as envious. MensXP decodes Modi's leadership style so that you and your brand reach NaMo-istic heights too.

Identify opportunities and take risks

The rise of Narendra Modi began when he offered Ratan Tata a plant to set up the latter's dream project Tata Nano. In one instant, Modi became a business darling and investments poured in to Gujarat regularly after that. As a leader, it is important to see opportunities when they knock on your door and grab them with both hands. Sure, they will come with some risks, but the long-term benefits will far outweigh them.

Photo: BCCL

Tap the youth on social media

To expect our netas to also be tech-savvy is a bit like asking Tusshar Kapoor to act. But Modi is different. Not only did he learn how to use social media like Twitter and hold Google Hangouts, he ensured that he got the support of youth for himself with it. Indeed, as his party BJP said, Modi won the race to be PM-candidate only because the public sentiment (read youth) was with him. Being one of the largest as well as the most impressionable, it is not unusual for some of his fans to vilify anything that goes against Modi. The lesson is simple - be in the minds of the youth and use their means to stay connected with them.

Photo: BCCL

Do it yourself if you know best

Some have called his chief ministership dictatorial because of the number of important posts he himself holds in his state cabinet. But Modi is a firm believer of himself. Delegating work is important but doing things that you think only you can do is more important. This is especially important if you have an unique vision that you know only you can implement.

Photo: BCCL

Manage crises as they occur

Brand Modi began rising as soon as he began chief minister of Gujarat in 2001. While most of this happened in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots the next year, Modi turned negative perception about himself on its head admirably. The taint of the riots may be hard to wash away but by doing effective work in all other sectors, Modi has proven to be his own crisis manager. Where many other politicians would wither away from public memory after such an incident, Modi has come back and how!

Photo: BCCL

Be a hit with masses and classes

A leader's primary function is to inspire people. However, the divide in the country runs so deep that politicians are forced to choose one over the other. Unlike Rahul Gandhi and almost everyone else who courts the poor because of their numbers, it is important to have favour with the swish set. Modi is probably the only leader who can rouse the downtrodden with his (ribald) speeches as well as dine with NRIs who want to do business in his state.

Photo: BCCL

Believe in your ambitious and work towards it

At the same time that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was giving his Independence Day speech at Red Fort this year, Narendra Modi was doing his best to attack Singh and the Congress party in Bhuj in Gujarat. It was a daring move that said Modi was serious about being Prime Minister. Even after winning his record third term as chief minister of Gujarat he tweeted "No need of looking behind ...FORWARD!....We want infinite energy, infinite courage, infinite patience... (sic)" as a sign that he was ready for the country's top job. Modi has never hidden his ambitions and as a leader nor should you. If you are ambitious, figure out a way of getting where you want and don't stop till you get there.

Whether you look at his as Hindu Hriday Samrat as his believers call him or as a mechant of death as Sonia Gandhi controversially called him in 2007, there is no denying that Modi's lessons in leadership are invaluable.